SOULMATES
by Jill Annette
Summary: [adult content and language] Usagi couldn't get past the fact that she felt like she knew the man with the ebony hair and cobalt eyes. Is this what love felt like? To be held so securely by just a look?
1. Perfect Match

_I don't have much to say at the moment. Anyone who reads the author notes in my other story I'm working on will know how excited I am about this one. Unlike Melting this story has longer chapters. Something many people want. I hope you enjoy._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER ONE – Perfect Match**

The day started off normal enough, just like any other day. Usagi woke up and got ready for school as she did every morning. When school was out at noon Usagi would make her way to the Crown Arcade. The arcade-slash-diner had been her and her friends' number one stop since high school and to this day remained so. However, she gave up her daily double chocolate milkshake for coffee almost two years ago, saving the chocolaty goodness for whenever she needed a bona fide pick-me-up.

While sipping her coffee alone in one of the booths, waiting for her friends, a man wearing a darker sweater and had even darker hair caught her attention. She unwrapped her light green scarf from around her neck and set it on the table beside her cup, her eyes never leaving his form. He was making conversation with Motoki, the owner of this fine establishment – and barely thirty. Usagi raked her mind to place a name with the man's face, surely someone who knew Motoki she knew. There were only a couple of people Motoki has mentioned in the years they have known each other Usagi has never met in person but she has seen in passing.

However, Usagi couldn't get past the fact that she felt like she knew the man with the ebony hair and cobalt eyes; such a deep, deep blue staring back at her, locking her eyes with his. Is this what love felt like? To be held so securely by just a look?

"Usagi!" Rei called in a sing-song voice. Her raven hair was pulled back in a clip – a definite sign of change for Rei never put her hair up. Sitting across from Usagi, Rei smiled brightly.

"Sooo?" Usagi asked, drawing out the word. She kept the man in her peripheral view, not quite wanting to let him go just now.

"Sooo, what?" Rei asked mocking Usagi's drawl.

"Why are you so, I don't know, chipper?"

Rei covered her mouth as she guffawed. She rested her chin on her hand and looked Usagi over once. "Chipper?"

Usagi sighed and shoved her hands in the air. "You know, giddy, excited… happy?"

Her friend shrugged. "Can't I just wake up happy from time to time?"

"No, it isn't allowed," Makoto stated as she walked up to the table, followed closely behind by Minako.

"Hey girls," Minako slipped into the booth beside Usagi. She snapped her cell phone closed. "Ami is on her way. Her class got out late."

"You're hair is up!" Makoto pointed out to Rei as she too sat down.

"Yeah, so?"

"You never wear your hair up?"

Rei shrugged once again in response, a smile glued to her face.

"She has a boyfriend who likes women who wear their hair in clips, you know. He thinks it's sexy whenever he can reach up behind her head as they're kissing and take her hair down himself." Minako said off-handedly as she glanced at her fingernails.

"Minako!"

Their eyes met, Rei's and Minako's, in a three second battle. Minako won when she smiled demurely and said, "What? I can't help it if I'm psychic."

Usagi glanced back at the counter, her curiosity getting the better of her once again. She barely heard Rei's response about the guy not being her boyfriend… yet, as her eyes scanned the room for the man. She found him sitting on one of the stools facing their booth. His attention however was on the book he had opened and set on the counter. She caught a flash of blue when he looked up and smiled at her as if he could feel her gaze. Usagi quickly, shyly smiled back, a blush glowing on her cheeks, before she turned back to all of her friends.

All four of them stared at her. Apparently Ami had walked in the small amount of time Usagi had looked away and pointed out the fact that Usagi was not in on the conversation with her friends.

"Welcome back," the blue-black haired friend of hers commented.

"While we can all see that he _is_ to-die-for gorgeous," Rei said. "We are all on a schedule for lunch."

"Oh, be nice Rei!" Makoto stated, standing up to leave. "Just be glad you aren't the center of attention at the moment."

They settled for a small deli a few blocks from the arcade to eat lunch. Each girl sat at a table with their sandwiches, besides Minako who opted – as usual – for a salad. They got together at least twice a week for lunch although they saw each other almost every day. At night the group would go dancing or a movie or sometimes even shopping; at least they would gather at one of the five's houses and hang out. Their bonds to each other were deeper than any one friendship many people saw these days. Their friendship lasted the weather of time.

As they made plans for the evening, Usagi's mind drifted away again. It floated all the way back to the arcade and the man dressed in a nearly black sweater and midnight eyes. More than likely she would never see him again but for some reason Usagi could not move past him. There was an aura around him that clung to the back of her mind and quite possibly a small piece of her heart in just the small amount of time she had seen him. And she didn't even know him.

"Usagi, is everything okay?" Ami asked concern shown in her turquoise eyes.

"Yeah, I just.." Usagi hesitated and rubbed a hand at her bare neck. A thought struck her, "I just left my scarf at the arcade."

"Because you were distracted by the mystery man talking to Motoki," Rei said.

"Oh," Usagi let out a sigh and shrunk a little. "You noticed him too?"

"Only because you were ogling him!" Rei said with a soft laugh following. "Don't worry, I'm not going to make my moves on him."

"You wouldn't want to make Yuuichirou mad."

"Minako shut up!" Rei screeched.

Minako huffed. "It's not fair to keep secrets from the group." The blond squared her chin and crossed her arms testing Rei and her pulled back black hair.

"I'm dating Yuuichirou," Rei mumbled, lowering her head to avoid eye contact with the rest of the group.

"Huh," Makoto sounded, scratching her head.

"Not surprising, honestly." Ami said taking the last small bite of her vegetarian sandwich.

Usagi giggled. "About time."

"I don't want to talk about it," Rei said, facing the group again. "I want to know what Usagi is going to do about the guy at the arcade."

Usagi shrugged. "I don't know." She looked at her watch. "All I know is, I need to get back to Crown Arcade to get my scarf _now _so I won't be late for work." She stood and grabbed her bag from the back of her chair and waved good-bye. "I'll see you guys tonight at my apartment."

She left the deli before her friends could even say good-bye back. Usagi closed her jacket around her as the wind hit her once the door closed behind her and she started weaving her way through the people on the streets. Rounding the last corner before the arcade, Usagi ran into a warm body.

Arms wrapped around her waist to keep her steady and for a brief moment Usagi let herself lean against the man's frame, whoever he was. She felt comforted and instantly warmed. She took in his spicy scent until she felt dizzy. Bringing a hand to wipe her hair from her face, Usagi took a step back and found herself facing the man from earlier. Once he was sure she had her balance he took his arms from around her and straightened out his own clothes.

"Hi," his deep voice sounded in her ears.

Usagi smiled, "Hey."

"I hope you don't mind." He lifted his left hand and revealed Usagi's mint green scarf. "I noticed you left it. Motoki gave me a heads up on where you and your friends might be."

"Thanks."

Usagi gingerly took the scarf from his hands, their fingers brushing and sending tingles throughout both their bodies. Quickly, Usagi drew her hand away from his and busied herself with wrapping the scarf around her neck. She broke eye contact for a moment or two, looking back to the deli where her friends were still talking. When she turned her gaze back to the man his eyes were intently watching her. He moved his hand towards her, as if to caress her face, but thought better of it and rubbed the top of his head messing up his hair. Usagi stifled a smile.

"Look, I uh," he started, smoothing his hair back out with his hand. "I don't want to sound too forward or anything but do you want to do something?"

Usagi let out a breath, "Now?" She looked around the street trying to get her bearings. Oh she was attracted to him greatly and this pull, whatever it was, would not loosen its grasp on her. She would almost be so bold as to say that she needed him.

"Or later?" He continued with a short chuckle. He almost seemed as nervous as she felt.

"Yeah, later." Usagi nodded, adjusting the strap of her bag and glancing at her watch. "I have to be at work, like, _now_." She ran off in the opposite direction without even looking back.

It was not until later whenever Usagi was putting away one of the last books a customer had misplaced that she realized they never made plans to meet. She trailed her fingers down the binding of the book, her head resting on one of the wooden shelves. Her thoughts traveled back to the conversation earlier she had with the man whose name she never got. The man she had made somewhat of a date with and she didn't even get his number. _Damn it,_ she thought. _How could I have been so stupid?_

Usagi let her eyes focus on the title of the book her fingers were tracing. _Perfect Match_, she read and a small laugh threatened to erupt from her mouth. As she thought about all of the events today tears pooled in her eyes but never spilled down her cheeks.

No, today was not a normal day.


	2. As Long As It's A Date

_And the story continues. Thank you guys so much for the reviews!_

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER TWO – As Long As It's a Date**

Usagi sat in her History class tapping her pen on her notebook. Her chin rested on her hand and, although she was nowhere near paying attention to what her professor was saying, stared at the front of the classroom. Honest to God she was trying to listen and to take notes but her mind just would not wrap around the facts the professor was dishing out. Instead her mind was wondering what a certain man with no name was doing at this particular moment. Was he at the arcade talking to Motoki? Was he wondering about her as he tried to work just like she was so desperately trying to hear the teacher?

The blond sighed. It had been over a week since she talked to him. Over a week since they decided to go do something together and over a week since he so totally took her availability for anyone else to attract her by just one look. _That's it_, she thought slamming her hand on her desk, _I'm going to talk to Motoki._ Without thinking twice, she shoved her notebook in her bag along with her pen and threw the strap over her shoulder, stood up and walked out of the room. It was not until she was halfway to the arcade that she realized she actually left in the middle of class.

Crown Arcade was not busy around lunch time during the week. It opens at eleven o'clock everyday and closes at nine o'clock, except Fridays and Saturdays whenever it closes at eleven-thirty at night. Usagi walked to the bar and sat down, her bag hanging from her shoulders and rested at her hips. She folded her arms and leaned forward craning her head around behind the counter trying to find her friend.

"Motoki!"

"He stepped out for a minute."

Usagi jumped at the voice. She turned around in her stool and faced the one person that has been on her mind the most for almost two weeks now. "Hi," she said incredulously. She could barely believe that standing before her was the one person she had been waiting for.

He chuckled, "Hi."

They took in each other with their eyes, words at the moment just seemed like too much work. The days that had passed between the time Usagi had seem him last felt like a small eternity and her memory of him did not do him justice. She had forgotten the sharp angle of his jaw and just how rich his eyes were.

"Last time we talked about going for coffee?"

Usagi nodded, "Yeah."

"If I ask again, are you going to run off?" He asked.

Usagi shook her head.

He turned around and walked across the room with deep strides. He looked back at her, "You coming?"

The blond hopped off the stool she was sitting in and rushed to his side. She smiled at him, "You bet."

The two walked in silence for a while. They were so close together that their arms brushed against each other and though both Usagi and he were wearing jackets the electric jolt that passed through them every time they touched was undeniable. She swore she knew him from another time, at least that's how it felt, even though she didn't know his name.

"What's your name?" Usagi spoke up this time as the thought once again returned to her.

He laughed, "Mamoru."

"Mamoru…" Usagi let his name travel off her tongue. It felt wonderful to know his name and to be able to speak it. After all this time and all the stupid names she came up with for him, Mamoru fit. She felt his eyes on her and she didn't even have to look at him to know he was smiling, even though she did just so she could look at him again. "What?"

"Are you going to tell me your name or am I going to have to guess?"

"Oh, it's Usagi."

"Well, Usagi," Mamoru stated as an excuse to say her name. "I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner."

"I'm sorry I ran off as fast as I did the other day."

Mamoru led them to a quaint place on The Strip. The Strip was the main street with independently owned shops and restaurants. It was a great place to come and eat and spend a whole day with friends or family. There was even a grassy knoll at the end of the strip with swings, slides and jungle gyms for kids to play. On The Strip there were plenty of things for just about anyone to enjoy. Inside the restaurant took Usagi by surprise. The place was gorgeous with wood floors and dark drapery. She looked up at Mamoru who just smiled back at her.

"I thought we were just getting coffee?"

"I changed my mind." His devious smile was making Usagi's head spin. "How about dessert and coffee?"

"At a place like this?" Usagi asked raising her eyebrows.

Just then a hostess came up and greeted the couple before leading them to the back of the restaurant and seated them. Once settled in her seat, Usagi opened the menu and looked it over. Her eyes widened as she read the title of one dessert after another. She glanced up at Mamoru who, once again, was just watching her reaction to everything. For some reason however, it did not bother her in the least bit that this man took in every single detail about her. Maybe it was because she wanted to do the same to him. Usagi wanted to know everything about this man. She wanted to feel him inside and out forever.

Usagi blushed at her own thoughts and bent her head back towards the menu. The words blurred together under her embarrassment but she managed to figure out what she wanted by the time the waiter even showed up at their table. After they ordered their desserts and coffee a quiet settled over them. Mamoru pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and pressed at the buttons. Usagi thought he was about to call someone and started to get extremely offended before he asked her for her number.

Calming her raging emotions, Usagi told him. Seconds later she heard her own phone ring and jumped. However, her phone did not ring long before it stopped and before she reached down to see who had called her Mamoru snapped his shut adverting her attention once again. She took a deep breath trying to calm her jumping nerves.

"Now you have my number," Mamoru stated. "Don't hesitate to call me because I'm not going to hesitate to call you."

"Okay," Usagi said. She meant it too.

Soon their coffees and sugary goodness was placed in front of them. Mamoru and Usagi talked well after they finished their desserts. After three rounds off sipping coffee, they finally decided to leave. Usagi glanced at her watch and noted that it was nearly two-thirty.

"I'm sorry but I really have to get to work," she said facing him outside the dessert house.

Mamoru nodded, "I'll be calling you."

"Okay." Usagi replied. She took a few steps away before turning back to him, "I'll be waiting."

Mamoru waved. Usagi turned back to face the oncoming herd of people as she made her way down the sidewalk. She smiled to herself as she thought about the phone call he would make later, hopefully, this evening. Her steps revealed her pep, her delight seeped through every pore. Maybe it was just her sugar and caffeine intake but Usagi was very doubtful of that theory. She was floating and falling at the same time. There was something about that man – about Mamoru – that just made her fatuous.

The hours she spent in the bookstore where Usagi worked went by at a moderate pace. She helped the customers and filed the books and put the new shipment out. Her mind was reeling over Mamoru as the rest of her continued to do what it was supposed to. After hours, when she was doing the last bit of cleaning up her phone rang. Usagi ran to her bag behind the desk and pressed send.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe, who're you thinking about?" a gruff voice whispered into the earpiece.

"Minako that isn't funny!" Usagi exclaimed with a sigh.

"No, no, I guess not," Minako said with a playful tinge to her words. "But we all know you were _still_ thinking about that guy you've only seen once."

"_Twice_," Usagi corrected popping her gum.

"What?" Minako exclaimed so loud Usagi had to move the phone from her ear.

"I saw him again today," Usagi explained, "but I'll talk about it later. I don't want to have to repeat myself four times."

"Oh," Minako said in a tone Usagi recognized and could picture her friend waving her arm in the air. "Don't worry about that. You're on speaker phone."

Usagi laughed as she heard a chorus of 'hellos' through her line. The blond then pressed the phone between her shoulder and her ear to free up her hands so she could work as she informed her friends of the day's events. By the time Usagi was locking the shop up for the night she had finished her story and was answering her friends' questions.

"So, is he going to call you?" Ami inquired.

"I hope," Usagi replied. About that moment her phone beeped once indicating there was someone on the other line. Usagi looked at the screen and smiled when she saw Mamoru's name flashing. Her friends could hear her smile as she told them she would have to call them back. "Hey there," she said once she switched over.

"I was thinking Saturday evening we could go to the boardwalk."

Usagi's smile grew once she heard Mamoru's voice. "As long as it's a date."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Mamoru replied. "If I'm doing something with you it's a date."

They talked for a few more minutes as they settled for a time and she gave him her address. When they finally hung up Usagi was walking up the pathway to Rei's house where all of the girls were hanging out. She let herself in without a knock and found her friends lounging in the living room in front of the television.

"Guys," Usagi called and waited until she had their attention before she exclaimed, "I have a date!"


	3. She Swore Fireworks

_I know I'm late. I'm horrible. I swear I had it written I just didn't post it. I was too busy laying out and getting sunburned the last couple of days. I love Texas weather. Doesn't matter what time of the year it is... it's hot! Anyway, I hope this redeems itself, I really like this chapter. Thanks to all of you who reviewed! _

_One more thing before I let you actually read the story. Check out **theHobLobbers** link in my profile. A friend and I are posting our daily ramblings of our job at a place called Hobby Lobby. It's a craft store with a lot of potential for interesting occurances. Now that we've decided to dictate them all we'll see what happens. Check it out. _

_Okay, thanks for listening (or reading) that. I'll let you read what you wanted to now:_

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER THREE – She Swore Fireworks**

Clothes scattered Usagi's bed. Minako was trying to assemble something of an outfit for Usagi to wear later for her date with Mamoru. Usagi was sitting in a chair she had brought from the kitchen into her room so Makoto could fix her hair as Minako dominated the bed with Usagi's clothes. Rei was munching on a cookie from the batch Makoto had made for their last get together at Usagi's house a couple nights ago and made one comment after another about the articles of clothing Minako pulled out of Usagi's closet. Ami on the other hand was on the boardwalk's website looking up options for things Usagi and Mamoru could do.

"Done," Makoto said. She let go of the last piece of Usagi's hair and set the curling iron down on the dresser and unplugged it.

Usagi stood up and went over to her full sized mirror to look at Makoto's damage. Her golden hair was first straightened and then select pieces were curled leaving the majority of her hair straight. Usagi studied it for a moment before she decided it was perfect for this evening. "I love it!"

"Good," Makoto stated as she sprayed hairspray into Usagi's tendrils.

"Usagi, I'm borrowing this skirt!" Minako exclaimed, throwing a short white mini to the side. "But you'll be wearing this." She held up a light pink spaghetti strap shirt and a caribbean green knitted sweater and low-slung jeans and a white belt. "Put it on before your make-up."

Usagi did as she was told and put the clothes Minako picked out for her on. Her friends hung around her room, Minako digging through the floor of Usagi's closet littered with shoes, Makoto picking up her mess of hair products and Rei sorting through the make-up she brought over.

"Screw it," Ami stated to no one in particular. She appeared in the doorway just as Usagi slipped on the blue-green sweater. "I'd just say to be sure and take a walk on the beach after you eat. Or take a ride on the Ferris wheel, or bumper boats. There's also a train that circles the whole of the boardwalk. All the web-site seems to talk about are the souvenir shops."

Usagi smiled, "Will do." Although Usagi was well capable of doing all of this herself – the processes of getting ready for a date – her friends wanted to be a part of it. So Usagi let them baby her and do every last thing for her except go on the date. That was Usagi's job in the whole ordeal and this time she would not trade up her spot for the world. She sat in the chair she had brought into her room once again, this time so Rei could apply the make-up. "Make it look natural."

Rei gave Usagi a stern look. "I'm doing your make up, let me do it." Rei tilted Usagi's neck back so that her face was tilted up towards her and started to rub eye shadow onto her lids. "Don't tell me what to do."

Usagi bit her lip, her eyes were closed and the only mirror she had in her room was behind her so even if her eyes were opened she would not be able to see what Rei was doing. As patiently as possible, Usagi sat in the chair. One thing Usagi was wary of was other people doing her make-up. There were certain colors she felt comfortable in and any other color was either too gaudy or just too plain.

After almost ten minutes Rei finally let Usagi stand up and look at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were shadowed with light and medium pinks and her lips were glossed over but not too much, "You know, just in case he wants to plant a smacker on you!" Rei's fine words made sense even though the room erupted with laughter.

"Perfect," Usagi stated and smoothed out an eyebrow.

Rei slapped Usagi's hand from her face, "Don't mess it up!"

"Yes, mother." Usagi giggled. She looked down to her bare feet and wiggled her toes. "Now for the most important part of the outfit."

Minako looked up from the floor lined with shoes. "I'm thinking," she ran her fingers over a few pairs of shoes as if playing eeny-meeny-miny-mo before grabbing a pair of pink heels. "These."

Usagi slipped her feet into the pumps. She loved the way high heels made her feel. The view from a couple inches higher put a new perspective on the way a person might look at the world. Usagi herself felt like a different person and yet herself all at the same time. The ensemble was perfect and put together at just the right time for the doorbell rang seconds after.

"What if he has the evening planned already?" Usagi turned to Ami, panic wedging itself between her vocal chords.

Ami shrugged. "Just go with the flow, if he asks you what you want to do tell him something I mentioned earlier."

"Don't be nervous," Makoto suggested.

"It's not like you haven't been out with him already," Ami reminded. "Just be sure you stay for the fireworks."

"Okay," Usagi took a calming breath. "Okay."

She left her room to find Mamoru standing in the doorway, Minako and Rei were talking to him – borderline interrogating him. Mamoru laughed as they asked him a question like what he planned on doing to her or what kind of people he hung out with. How they were able to pass by her and get to the door without her even knowing was beyond Usagi.

"Enough," Usagi said coming up to stand next to Mamoru. "Mamoru, these pests are my friends…" Usagi continued to introduce the girls to Mamoru and they chatted for just a bit before he asked if she was ready to leave. Usagi nodded and smiled good-bye to her friends who showed no intention of leaving her apartment.

Mamoru and Usagi were halfway down the hall of her apartment building when she heard Makoto's voice, "I want my baby girl back home at a decent hour!" A burst of laughter followed and then the door slammed shut.

"Sorry," Usagi said between her laughter. "They don't mean any harm."

Mamoru grabbed her hand as they walked outside to his car. The warmth comforted her and held her closer to him than she could be without de-clothing him. Usagi was thankful people were not able to read each others minds. If they could, Usagi was sure she would be dying of embarrassment. Instead, Mamoru opened the passenger car door for her and she slipped inside and waited for him to walk around to his side.

"How do you know Motoki?" Usagi asked after they had been on the road for a little while. It was a question that had popped up in her head from time to time and she never got around to asking. Now seemed like just as good a time as any.

Mamoru shifted gears and glanced at Usagi. "I knew him back in high school."

"Oh," Usagi registered what he said. This meant that he and Motoki were around the same age, that Mamoru was around thirty. Which meant Mamoru was nearly ten years older than she was. Usagi looked out the window, her emotions mixed.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Usagi shook her head. What was she supposed to say? _I'm sorry you're way too old for me?_ That did not sound right or fair. "It's just; I didn't think you were that old."

"I'm not old."

"But, you just said—"

"I'm thirty-two," Mamoru stated. Even older than what she had thought. "I know I'm at least six years older than you but I hope that won't interfere. I like you, Usagi. I like spending time with you."

Usagi sat back in her seat, her head pressed against the head-rest, no doubt flattening her curls Makoto had diligently worked on earlier. It seemed to explain why he was so open to the fact that he liked her and that he wanted to spend time with her. He knew, it seemed, not to take some things too seriously, as if this did not work out he knew there would be someone else eventually. This, in a way, made Usagi nauseous because it meant that he had been with a lot of women and possibly even married. Unless he was like Motoki, who was not married even if he had been with the same person for five years and currently engaged. Usagi sighed, glanced out the window as she tried to organize her thoughts. When she looked back at Mamoru, Usagi jumped in without a life preserver, "Eleven."

"What?" Mamoru asked. The silence had him thinking about other things. He did not want to scare Usagi away. All his life he had never felt this strong of a connection with a woman before. He wanted to be with her. As crazy as it sounded considering how long they had known each other, Mamoru would admit that he could live the rest of his life with Usagi. He had been with enough women to know if there was a connection or not, and to be honest, Usagi was the first one he actually felt it with.

"You're eleven years older than me, well, next week it will be eleven."

"Oh," Mamoru turned the car into the boardwalk parking lot and parked. He turned of the ignition and faced Usagi. His eyes held a seriousness to them Usagi rarely saw in anyone she knew. "Is this okay?"

Usagi took a deep breath and picked at the knee of her jeans, her focus on her fingers that played with the coarse material. What would it really matter if he was over a decade older than her? _Relationships like this have worked out before_, she thought, _why can't I give it a try_? She let out her breath she was holding. "Yeah," she said, catching Mamoru's eyes. "It's okay."

The night could not seem long enough. When they were together, conversation never seemed to end and even if there were a pause, the silence enveloped them in comfort, not awkwardness. They ate at one of the nice little restaurants and then rode the train to see everything the boardwalk had to offer. The two spent some times playing games and they even went back to when they were both teenagers and rode the Ferris wheel just for the hell of it. Laughter filled the evening between the two.

Later, Usagi suggested a walk on the beach. With her heels off and in her left hand, her right took Mamoru's hand in her own as they walked on the sandy shore of the ocean. The weather was perfect, not too cold and not too hot. Spring was definitely in the air and Usagi enjoyed the feeling of the sea breeze in her hair and against her face. Mamoru smiled down at her as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking in the salty air.

"I just love the beach," she noted, her light blue eyes dancing.

"It's nice," Mamoru agreed. "But I have to say it's better with you on it."

Usagi blushed, looking down at her feet as she buried her toes in the sand.

Mamoru cupped his hand under her chin and brought her face up to look at him, his lips curled up in a grin. Usagi swooned, her eyes half-closed as she looked up at him, wondering what his lips felt like. Wondering if he was pondering the same thing, if he wanted to feel her lips crushed against his.

"I mean it," Mamoru stated.

Usagi blushed but did not look away. "I know."

When their lips touched there on the beach, with waves crashing beside them, Usagi swore she heard fireworks. Each dip of their kiss, the pressure applied sent her closer to the edge. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she greedily took it in and in turn tasted his mouth. Her world was spinning and the only way to control it was to hold onto him before she fell completely. His arms were around her waist, helping her keep her balance on the very tip of her toes as her hands held onto him around his neck – her fingers playing at the edge of his hair. They broke apart to catch their breath but did not let go of each other. Usagi pulled Mamoru closer and rested her head against his chest as she looked at the sky.

Another loud pop in the sky was followed by a sprinkle of colors that sprayed above them. Fireworks.


	4. More than Infatuation

_Midterms: DONE! Okay, so FINALLY the next chapter that I'm - again - late with. Anyway, this chapter and the next chapter will probably be the climax of the story. These two chapters will be where everything changes and the actual story starts/reveals itself. I told myself this would be more than just a mush story and have more of a storyline than just Usagi and Mamoru falling in love. Oh no, you guys will get so much more than that. Hope you like._

_This chapter is why my story is rated M. Hopefully its tasteful. Let me know if I wrote it well or if I just suck at love._

_Oh, and as for the number one question: **Why such the big age gap?** I'm not sure. I just felt like it. In the actual Sailor Moon story they're five almost six years apart. I just added another five or six years to it. I have an infatuation with older men and younger girls. I can't help it. It's hot! ;-)_

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER FOUR – More than Infatuation**

It had been a little over a week since their first date. Since then Mamoru and Usagi has gone to multiple art museums, the local zoo and, almost daily, the park. He treated her with ice cream on the warmer days and coffee – or hot tea if she chose – on the colder days. He had met all of her friends again and sometimes he would even accompany them on their luncheons. Usagi and Mamoru, her friends were starting to say, were inseparable. The last time they had seen Usagi alone was moments before Mamoru knocked on her apartment door to take her out.

The girls, however grateful for Mamoru lifting her spirits, were starting to get skeptical about how fast they may or may not be going. Usagi left no indication of sleeping with him but none of the four girls could be certain because they were not with her twenty-four-seven: Mamoru was. It was not that the girls thought Usagi should never sleep with the man that so totally seemed to take over her every waking thought, they just did not want to see her get hurt in the end.

"Are we being jealous?" Ami asked out of the blue one day.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked taking a bite of a pineapple filled donut in the local pastry shop.

"We're not used to being separated from Usagi." Ami explained. "She's supposed to be our friend and she's never with us when we go out anymore."

Rei leaned her elbows on the table in thought. Makoto leaned back in her chair.

Minako shrugged, "It could be but at least we aren't being childish about it."

"That's true," Rei agreed. "At least we're letting him tag along so we can see _our _Usagi."

The girls laughed it off but their feelings remained the same. In fact, Usagi was theirs, not Mamoru's. The truth was they were friends with her first and boys – even men – should not come before friends. It was a pact they made long ago in grade school and some people in the group, including Rei who had Yuuichirou to handle, kept it.

Usagi on the other hand was so infatuated with this man who was so intoxicating she had a hard time doing anything else than spending time with him. When he was off of work, he was with her and vice versa. Though, even when she was working, Mamoru would show up at the bookstore every now and then to pretend to look at books when customers or Usagi's boss was around. Whenever the store was empty and it was just he and Usagi, the tormenting began. Childish flirtation would go on and even a little teasing.

Their first time was ten days after their first official date. Mamoru drove Usagi home and walked her to her apartment door. Once the supposed-to-be goody-bye kiss started, it did not stop. Instead, Usagi, pressed against her door, opened it and led them inside. She closed and locked the door without breaking the kiss. Her hands found themselves running up his back and around his shoulders and up into his thick black hair. She sighed as she felt his hands slide down her backside and lifted her into his arms. Willingly, Usagi allowed Mamoru to carry her into her room and onto the bed. After a few moments of taking their feel Usagi broke apart.

"Are we going too fast?" She gasped in air.

Mamoru trailed his fingers down her side, knowingly sending bolts of electricity through her body and making her shiver. "I don't know." He pressed his forehead into hers and stared into her eyes. Emotion filled dark blue eyes bored into her lighter colored eyes yet equally filled with emotion.

"I don't either," she said into another kiss.

Her shirt was pulled off and then his. Then her bra disappeared and his mouth trailed kisses, hot and wet, on her upper torso. Usagi's body arched to his. She needed feel him and the harder she pressed against him the more her hunger was satiated but it still was not enough to quench the hunger all together.

She lay back down onto her pillows and heaved a sigh. Mamoru looked at her from his position and asked if she was okay. Usagi nodded although she was feeling mixed emotions. This all seemed to be going so fast and yet she could not let him stop; hell she could not make herself stop. Mamoru was unbuckling her belt and without thinking Usagi put her hands over his.

"What," Mamoru looked up at Usagi, a boyish smile on his lips. "It's mine. I can take them off if I want."

Usagi laughed. "Go ahead then."

She brought her hands up to her shoulders and watched as Mamoru exposed her to him. His eyes glazed over as he took all of her beauty in.

"God, you're gorgeous." He stated, his eyes tearing into hers.

Mamoru tasted her beauty. He took her into his mouth until she arched in pleasure and her skin shone a rosy pink hue. Full with desire, Mamoru kissed his way up Usagi's body until he found her mouth. He slipped his fingers into her as he continued to ravish her lips. As he kissed and continued to please her Usagi's hands roamed across his back, his abs and eventually they strayed into his pants. Inside, Usagi felt Mamoru's tension and whenever she grabbed a hold of it, she heard him groan.

It was as good as over then. Usagi could not back away from this. She would not be able to change her mind if she wanted to. Mamoru stripped himself as bare as her and leaned into her. At that moment the two were filled with completeness. They danced and kissed their way into a blurry bliss. Using every part of the bed they could to bring each other to their ultimate peak.

Spent, the two collapsed into each others' arms and slept until the first rays of light started to filter into the window. They awoke still holding onto the other person as if they let go it would be the end. Although neither of them wanted to, they unfolded their limbs and dressed back into their clothes from the previous night. Usagi followed Mamoru to the door and kissed him good-bye. She watched him walk down the hall as if he would look back but he never did.

Usagi sighed against the door after she shut it and thought about last night for just a moment and finally smiled because of the memory. After Mamoru got out of work today they would be back together again and everything would be great. Maybe they had moved a little fast but Usagi was aware that there were other people in the world that moved faster. It was not a horrible thing that they had only known each other maybe fourteen days exactly and they were already sleeping together. Some people in the world would sleep with complete strangers for a little cash.

Keeping this thought in her mind, Usagi moved from the door and into her bathroom where she showered and dressed in clean clothes for the day. A small smile stayed glued to her face as she left her apartment and meandered to the Crown Arcade where she suspected her friends to be. Today there were no classes and she hoped beyond all hope was the day that the girls decided to meet up and hang out.

After calling Rei to make sure, Usagi followed the sidewalk to the place she practically considered her second home. She glanced at the road whenever an ambulance sped past and watched it for a fraction of time as it weaved through the traffic down one of the busiest streets towards the hospital. However, the sun was shining down on her and the day was warmer than they had been. Spring would soon turn into summer and the beaches would be filled with beautiful people swimming and tanning. To top all of that, Usagi started to realize her emotions for Mamoru was more than just an infatuation. She loved him.

A small squeal escaped her lips and like a child Usagi ran the rest of the way to the arcade unable to keep this realization inside her for too much longer. She had to tell her friends.

"Usagi finally greets us with her wonderful presence!" Minako called out when Usagi bombarded through the doors.

Usagi sat at the booth with her friends a huge smile on her features. "I love him."

The girls groaned whenever they heard that. All Usagi ever talked about was Mamoru these days. Still, although sometimes it was aggravating, they were happy for her.

"Sorry," Usagi said, "I just realized it and I had to tell someone."

"It's great!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Have you told him?" Ami asked.

Usagi shook her head. "No, I came to the conclusion when I was walking here."

"And what exactly helped you figure this out?" Rei poked.

Usagi sighed and blushed.

"NO!" Minako screeched. "You didn't."

Usagi bowed her head and three of the girls gasped.

"Did what?" Ami asked.

"She did the deed!" Makoto said a little too loudly.

"Oh," Ami blushed.

"Who did what?" It was Motoki who seemed to show up out of nowhere.

"Umm…" Usagi looked at her friends for help.

"Usagi bounced her boyfriend." Rei mentioned.

"REI!" Mortified, Usagi borrowed her head into her arms that rested against the table.

Motoki scratched the top of his head, embarrassed. "Way too much information Rei." Then he walked off.

The girls laughed at his expense and then their attention diverted back to Usagi. They left to eat at a restaurant on the north side of town. The group of friends caught up on the time they spent apart from Usagi. Eventually they decided that it was not a bad thing that the two got together and then _got together_. Usagi was a smart girl and they knew that she knew what she was doing. Trust may only be a five letter word but its meaning is one of the most important things in the world. The girls trusted Usagi's opinions and her actions and respected them.

The girls no longer felt neglected by Usagi. All they needed was to spend a day with her to feel wanted again. It was good to just spend a day together and talk and just be themselves again with all of their partners in crime together. Even if one blond headed member was always thinking about a certain black headed man.


	5. Finding an Answer

_Good news: MY COMPUTER IS FIXED! I had to buy a new keyboard. Ugh!_

_Right now, I'm just merging chapter 5A and 5B together. That way I can keep it neat and clean and beautiful (for me anyway). Chapter six is in the making and being revised and will be out soon. No later than tomorrow. Hopefully tonight! We'll see. I love this story and I can't tell you how happy I am with it. Do not hate me for what you may find out in the next chapter. I PROMISE you will love the ending._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER FIVE – Finding an Answer**

It took Usagi a couple days to actually admit to herself that Mamoru was not going to be calling her. In fact, she realized, she had not heard from him since he left her the morning after they had made love for work. Usually Mamoru would have called her before it was too late in the afternoon. However, that day had seemed to be such a great day that Usagi completely disregarded the fact that Mamoru did not call her. It did not matter that day because she was so sure he felt the same way she did. She was positive that Mamoru was in love with her just as she was in love with him.

The next day, whenever Mamoru still had not called and she tried calling him a few times and he never picked up, Usagi still refused the fact that he may be ignoring her. Usagi thought that maybe, just maybe he was busy. Something may have happened at his office and he was tied up and he did not have time for her. At the same time Usagi was completely aware of the fact that she would make time to call him even if it were just enough to say hello. She just did not want to accept the fact that he may not be interested in her at all. Now that he apparently got what he had wanted all along he was done with her.

That could not be the case though. Usagi caved deep into her soul and went over every one of their conversations. Replayed every reaction he made to what she said or did and came to the conclusion that he was not playing her. Everything was the truth from him. Everything was uncovered of mind benders. With a heavy sigh, Usagi picked up the phone and dialed his number, with a knowing feeling that he would not answer the phone. However, to her surprise the phone was picked up.

"Hello," a deep voice flowed through the line.

"H-hi," Usagi hesitated. "I-is Mamoru available?"

"Mamoru?" The man repeated as if in thought for a moment. "No, no Mamoru is here."

"Tell him this is Tsukino Usagi, I just need to speak with him for a minute."

There was a pause. "Usagi, is it?"

The blond did not like the sound of this man's voice but she kept her cool and answered anyway. "Yes."

He chuckled, and although he could not see her, Usagi scowled. "This is Urawa, Ryo."

A little frustrated and very impatient, Usagi moaned, "Your point!"

"This is my phone. Are you sure you dialed the right number?"

Usagi looked at the screen to her phone and read the numbers carefully. "Yes, this is the right number."

"Well, you may want to check with the person who gave you this number because I've only had this number for a little over a week now."

"Oh." Usagi stated. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Usagi stared at her phone in disbelief. How could that not have been Mamoru's? How could someone have his number? Is it possible that someone else had his number already if he had disconnected it in the last two or three weeks? It would explain why he never answered. Then that would lead to one last question: Why would he change his number and not tell her?

Usagi dropped her phone and threw herself on her bed and stared up at the ceiling trying to find her answer among the bumps and dents.

* * *

Usagi slumped in a chair in front of her friends. Once again they were at the Crown Arcade wasting time; however, it didn't matter to Usagi anymore. As long as she was not by herself these days she was okay. When she was alone, Mamoru always seemed to float around in her head. Her friends were talking about the most recent news story about a young man being shot and suspect was still on the run.

"I never caught his name though," Makoto stated.

"Really?"

"Yeah, when I turned on the TV the reporter was nearly halfway through the story." She continued. "Supposedly the memorial is today."

"Where's Motoki?" Usagi asked, changing the subject completely. If there was one thing she disliked more than the news, it was dead people and their killers that were talked about on the news. "I want a shake."

Rei shrugged. "I think Unazuki's here today. Motoki isn't in."

"He's not here?"

"No."

The blonde shrunk further down in her seat. All of a sudden her stomach tightened.

"What's wrong with you?"

Usagi stared at her friends. She could not figure out who asked her the question. Not that it would truly matter who did because she was sure they were all wondering the same thing. "I don't know."

"Yes you do," Minako spoke up.

Usagi sighed. "I just, I haven't heard from Mamoru."

"It's been nearly a month, Usa."

"Yeah," she sighed.

Ami grabbed her friend's hand. Makoto leaned over the table until she was face to face with Usagi, her nose centimeters apart from the blonde's. "You are better than him."

Usagi shook her head, tears threatening to spill. She removed her hand from Ami's grip.

"He was using you, honey, you don't need that from another person." Rei said. "Maybe that was all he wanted from you."

"It just seemed like there was something else there." Usagi's voice was small and unsure.

"We just hate to see that you gave your hopes up." Minako stated.

Ami shook her head. "We liked him. I swear – and we had hoped for the best as well. But, we also kept our guard up just in case something like this came up."

"That way we'd know what to say to you."

Usagi stood up abruptly. "So you were anticipating this to happen all along?"

Her friends didn't say anything. Rei looked down, Minako looked away, Ami and Makoto just shook their heads. Usagi nodded and turned from her friends. In truth she wasn't angry with them, she was frustrated with the situation she was put in. What, weeks before, she thought was the beginning of the rest of her life was only a disappointment.

Usagi's pace was set in long strides as she made her way to her apartment. Her eyes watered but she refused to cry. There was no point. He could not be worth her tears no matter how much she claimed to love him before. She should have known better. Besides the relationship between them was only a few weeks old. How could Usagi's have felt so sure that the rest of their life was blossoming then? He was so much older than her, she began to realize that now. He had so much more experience than her.

What if she was just another conquest? Could she live with that? Usagi sighed as she opened the door to her apartment. She set her things on the coffee table and slumped down onto her bed. Her arms were spread across her bed and she stared at the ceiling. Her friends were right.

He was just using her. There was no other doubt in her mind.


	6. Through

_God my wrist hurts. I can't type anymore today. I hope this answeres some of your questions... probably not. More will arise more than likely. You probably know the answer already though._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER SIX – Through**

Motoki was wiping down the last table of the day whenever the bells at the door jingle. "We're closed," he announces without looking up and continued to wipe the table clean. The past few weeks had been an emotional strain on Motoki and it seemed to get harder and harder to deal with customers every day. However, today, whenever he did not hear the bells ring again to tell him that the customer had left he looked around the diner-slash-arcade to find a blond wilting at the bar. Her head was buried in her arms, her book bag hanging from her right elbow barely brushing the floor. "Usagi?"

He heard a sniffle as a response and then he found bright blue eyes highlighted with tears. "Can I just stay here for a while?"

At a loss for words Motoki nodded. To keep anyone else from coming in since that the Crown Arcade was technically closed for the evening, Motoki locked the doors. He did not say anything to Usagi as he mopped the floors and re-stocked the ice cream and cleaned the dishes he missed earlier. As he dried off the last glass, Motoki looked at the young blond, her face still hidden beneath her arms. He wondered what was wrong with her, a girl who almost always had a smile on her face. A girl he had never seen break down before. Now she was nearly falling apart and the only thing keeping her together was the slumber she fell into as she silently wept as he was cleaning.

"Usagi?" he said just above a whisper.

She didn't move, didn't make a sound. Her back rose and fell with even timing. Motoki looked at his hands, the glass in his hands catching the light. Immediately he set to work making a chocolate shake for her with an extra shot of chocolate syrup – the way he knew she liked it. When the rim of the glass hit the counter with a soft _tink_, Usagi's head shot up.

"Am I unlovable?"

"What?" Motoki was caught off guard by the question. This girl was beyond unlovable on the other side of the spectrum. Anyone could fall in love with this girl, easily.

"Do I just, give off the vibe that I'm easy to get and easy to leave?"

Motoki fought between trying to breathe and talk at the same time, choking on words that wouldn't form. "I, I don't think I understand where you're coming from."

"I was dating this guy for a while, okay, almost two weeks. This was about a month or two ago. After, you know, we did the deed, he left me. But I had no indication that he would leave me. The morning after seemed okay, like nothing was wrong. We had made plans to go out that night. I never heard from him."

"What does that have to do with now?"

Usagi's face crumpled, she stared at the drink before her without really seeing it. "I still haven't heard from him."

Motoki sighed, shook his head, "I don't know what to tell you. I'd say forget about him but I'm sure you've heard that a hundred times."

Usagi sighed. "It's just, I believed everything he said. I saw it in his eyes."

"Some guys will feed you words," Motoki watched as Usagi stiffened a little bit and averted her gaze elsewhere. "I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's true."

"I just have a gut feeling that something's up." Usagi said shaking her head. "Mamoru just didn't seem like that.

Motoki held his breath. Surely there were more than one Mamoru out there in the world. Then again, Mamoru always was talking to Motoki about this gorgeous blond. A girl he said he would never be able to live without again. Motoki had rolled his eyes at his friend thinking Mamoru was full of it. That he was talking it up because that's how Mamoru always was at the beginning of a relationship. Motoki sighed. He didn't have the heart to tell Usagi but he'd have to eventually.

"Usagi, Mamoru, he's not here anymore."

Usagi slumped a little more, if that were possible. "Oh," she said, picking her bag up and throwing it over her shoulder. "Okay." She said the last part as more of a question than a statement. She was out of her chair and at the entrance door before Motoki could say anything consoling to her. He watched as she unlocked the door and slipped into the dusk, her golden hair matching the setting sun.

Usagi was pissed. Of course he left without letting her know. He left to get away from her and he conveniently forgot to let her know so that way she could not track him down. Then he gave his phone, which was really just his friend's, back to Ryo or whatever that guy's name was. Oh this boy was clever. Usagi was definitely played.

Taking bigger strides than normal, Usagi walked the perimeter of the park. The sun was setting and the street lamps were starting to turn on as Usagi followed the sidewalk. She needed to work some of this aggravation out of her system, so instead of turning down the path that lead her to her apartment, Usagi continued into the park. She watched as parents gathered their children and hustle them into mini-vans and SUVs. She looked on as couples held hands, moving past her to leave the park.

Usagi looked away from the people and closed in on the lake. There she noticed a familiar shadowed figure staring at the water. Her eyes narrowed and Usagi made her way to the muddy shore of the lake. He was going to get a piece of her mind to show up now.

"Mamoru!" she called loud enough to make sure he heard her. This time there was no escape from her.

Motoki may have said he was gone, but Usagi now knew better now that she was face to face with the betrayer. His eyes were red but his cheeks were dry. He looked at her with a sorrow so deep Usagi almost faltered. However, when he reached for her she took a step back and avoided his grasp.

"No!" she exclaimed. "You cannot touch me."

"Usagi…" he called, his voice not his own. It was raspy and full of emotion she could not place. Somehow, it seemed that he was so far away when he talked, as if he were talking though a tunnel.

"I will not listen to your excuses." Usagi stated. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm through with you. I know you played me. I know what I am to you now."

"It's not-"

"Do NOT interrupt me!"

Mamoru let his mouth hang open for just a moment before he closed it. His hands slipped into his pockets and he watched her as she attempted to regain composure.

"You were very immature about this whole thing." Usagi stated. "You led me on. You lifted my spirits so high only to drop it and let it shatter into a million pieces. You had your lackeys tell me you were gone. Had one of your friends answer your phone and tell me it was his and not yours."

There was silence for a minute as the two stared at each other. It was the hardest thing for Usagi to do, her physical attraction to him and her emotional reaction was trying to betray her words.

"Next time you plan to do something like this, at least tell the girl what you plan to do. Believe me it would not hurt so bad. They might even go along with it."

Tears were now streaming down her face. Mamoru was not looking at her though, he was staring at the ground.

"Are you listening to me?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes."

"Do you have anything to say about it?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"How can you not have meant to? All you had to do was call me!"

"It's more complicated than that. It isn't that easy for me. I'm not-"

"No, I changed my mind." Usagi said shaking her head. "I don't want to hear it."

The blond fled from him, tears flying from her. When she was on the outskirts of the park, Usagi turned back to the lake expecting to see him still standing by the lake. He was already gone.

She was not sure why she looked back. Or honestly, what she would have done if he was still there. Half of her would have walked back up to him and tell him that everything would be okay if he just held her. The other half of her would have kept on running. After everything that has happened in the past few months Usagi did not know which half of her would win.


	7. Body, Soul and Heart

_The ultimate question is out for good now. This is the moment you've all been waiting for: THE TRUTH ABOUT MAMORU! Please do not kill me. I SWEAR to you, promise you, you will love the ending (of the story not this chapter). If you don't like the ending, I will cry. Cry my heart out. Seriously? Just read the story._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER SEVEN – Body, Soul and Heart**

Usagi had been avoiding him all week. He was everywhere she wanted to be: the arcade, school, the park, even the hallway to her apartment. No matter where Usagi ended up, Mamoru seemed to be lurking in the shadows. If Usagi did not know better, she'd say he was stalking her. Just to be certain, the blond watched her back a little more and actually bought pepper-spray. She kept telling herself _just in case._

Usagi took the two steps down from the sidewalk that led to the door of her employment. She walked to the back and shoved her things in a locker that was assigned to her on the first day. It wasn't much of a locker, more of a cubby-hole to store her belongings, seeing that the door with the lock fell off years ago. She walked to the front counter to release another girl, whose name she could never seem to remember. Not that the girl was forgettable, but that the girl never seemed to want anything to do with Usagi. The blond watched as the girl silently counted her till. The girl's mousy brown hair fell past her shoulders and hid her face. Usagi realized she wasn't even sure what color eyes this girl had.

Her coworker looked up at her, glaring. "What?"

Usagi jerked her head away and looked in the other direction, "Nothing." Noticing the return cart full of books, Usagi said, "I'm going to put up these books."

"And?"

Usagi shook her head, "Just letting you know…"

A little while later she heard the shuffle of the brunette's walk, the 'Employee's only' door shut and then the safe open and close. The book store was dead silent. Usagi continued to put books back up where they belonged. The minutes seemed to tick by and Usagi began to wonder if the girl would ever come out of the back. Had she already left?

"Hey."

Usagi jumped and turned around.

"Sorry," the girl stated giving Usagi an incredulous look. "Anyway, I'm gone."

Usagi nodded.

The girl was halfway out the door before she turned around, "Oh, by the way, if you start wondering about the music, the manager called to say the satellite was out. That's why it seems so quiet. If you were wondering."

"Thanks." Usagi replied, having to reevaluate the girl's actions.

She sighed as she watched the brunette walk up the stairs. Her feet stood still at the top for a moment as if the girl was trying to decide which way to go before they disappeared completely.

Usually, Usagi did not mind closing the bookstore. Though, now, with the music gone and the eerie silence, Usagi wished someone would show up just so that she could pass the time. After putting the books up, Usagi started working on inventory. The numbers made her brain cramp, but tonight was especially slow and there wasn't much else she could do, besides probably clean the windows. So that's what she did.

It was after Usagi had the windows sparkling clean whenever she noticed she was not alone in the bookstore. There was another figure in the store with her. Tall and dark and someone she truly did not want to see. Could he not take a hint? How many ways can a person say no?

"What do you want Mamoru?" Usagi asked, exasperated. She leaned her forehead on the glass, no doubt leaving a grease mark.

"I want to explain."

Usagi turned around. She did not hide her anger from her face, her hurt. She challenged him with her eyes, demanding everything and telling him to back off at the same time.

Mamoru just shrugged as if he knew what she was thinking, "I will not tell you if you're not going to listen."

The blond shoved a hand through her hair, thought about it, and went behind the desk. "_Sloppy Firsts_," She mused, shook her head, "and _Second Helpings_."

"What?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi shook her head. "I'm going to let my heart get broken again. Go ahead."

"I never meant to break your heart Usagi." His voice was strained, "I swear."

"Well, you did a good job of shattering it!"

"I wanted the rest of my life with you," Mamoru said, "and I guess in a way, I did."

Usagi's eyes locked on Mamoru. _What the hell was he trying to pull?_ "What does that mean?"

"It means, believe it or not, I was mugged a couple months ago." Mamoru said, shoving his hands in his pockets, a trait Usagi found boyish and yet irresistible.

Her eyebrows shot up when he did not continue, "And?"

"And," he continued, "I was shot."

"So… you've been in the hospital all this time?" Usagi asked, her temper rising by the millisecond. "**You think you have the right to come in here and tell me this shit?**"

Mamoru took a step back.

"For God's sake, Mamoru." Usagi screamed, "You can't just tell me this! Don't make up lies to try and make things better!"

Mamoru shook his head, "It isn't like that."

"Really?" She asked, taking a few steps closer to Mamoru. "Well then, _lover_, what is it?"

The dark headed man of her dreams and anger took a deep breath. "I didn't make it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" It seemed like a question she was asking over and over again. Still, it was Mamoru's fault for making it so damn complicated.

"I died?" It seemed more like a question than a statement.

"Then how can I see you?"

"I don't know," Mamoru shrugged. "You shocked me whenever you walked up to me yelling. I've been following you around for a while, tearing my heart out watching you sulk because you couldn't figure out what was going on. I wanted you to know so badly and then all of a sudden you're fighting with me. Blaming me."

Infuriated, Usagi brought a hand up to hit Mamoru. Then she attempted just that. He brought an arm up to stop her from pounding him, a normal reflex for anyone but he never felt the hit. Usagi never felt the satisfying contact of her skin against his that she was hoping for. Instead, she stopped in mid-hit only to find her hand inside of Mamoru.

That was when she fainted.

Usagi woke up to a horrible stench. Her eyes focused on someone she could not recognize but right behind him was her boss. She groaned at the ache in her head and how her right hand tingled with shots of electricity. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head from the bright lights of the store.

"Is she going to be all right?" she overheard her manager ask.

"She'll do just fine," the EMT said, "She's just lucky the customer walked in whenever she fell."

"What did he say happen?"

"He could not tell exactly," the EMT stated. "One second she was upright and the next she was down on the floor."

Usagi watched as the EMT checked her blood pressure, her pulse and her temperature.

"Everything seems fine." He nodded towards Usagi's boss, "Maybe she should go home for the night and sleep it off.

Usagi wanted to laugh at that statement. She would not sleep anymore. Nope. It wasn't going to happen. She'd search the internet for ways to get rid of ghosts. Then she'd make Mamoru go to wherever the dead were supposed to. Without realizing she was crying, Usagi felt a tear run down the side of her face.

_Oh gods, he's dead._

The thought crossed her mind without her wanting it too. It was bad enough that she knew beyond a doubt that he was gone. The fact that he was haunting her? That would prove to be unbearable.

"I've called her a cab; he should be here any minute." Usagi's boss stated, her things falling from his hands to the ground.

Usagi fought the urge to sit up, grab her things and run. She waited patiently for the cab. Patiently let herself be helped to the yellow taxi whenever it arrived. Patiently sat through the ride home. Then finally made it to the door to her apartment and slammed the door, locking it fast. The blond ran into her room and fell on her bed.

That was when she lost control of her emotions; she let them pour from her body, soul and heart.


	8. How to Get Rid of a Ghost

_You might kill me for this chapter. It seems like I keep digging a hole but I'll straighten things out eventually. I know I said this would be 15 chapters, but it may be a little less. I'm getting all the main points done quicker than I thought I would. _

_**I need help**: what is that thing Rei uses. The slips of paper with kanji written on it that keeps bad omens away, or whatever it is. I know someone out there knows.I feel horrible because I should know what it is but I can't remember. PLEASE let me know, if I can't find out then I'm stuck until I do._

_**I'm also taking a poll.** What would you like to see next? There's Melting that I kind of let stop. If I work on that I'm more than likely going to re-write parts, maybe make that chapters longer. Try to fit a REAL story-line into it. There's also From One Broken Heart to Another. This is another story I want to re-write. There are a lot of things I need to work on in it. Places where I described something one way and then later on, it was completely different. Then there's You Don't See Me. This is a Minako/Yaten story. Something I'll continue to work on regardless but it's something on the side if not my main focus. However, if you'd like for me to put all my focus into it, vote for it. Or do you want to see something new?_

_From here until the last chapter I'm taking a poll. By the end of chapter 13/14/15 -whichever it ends up being- I'll have the outcome. So when you review, or if all you do is vote, list one of the four (use numbers or titles, whatever): _

_1 - Melting  
2 - From One Broken Heart to Another  
3 - You Don't See Me  
4 - Or something knew_

_I'm putting the decision up to you. My readers. _

_Now that I've typed WAYYYYY too much for an Author's Note... read on. Review. And VOTE!_

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER EIGHT – How to Get Rid of a Ghost**

Usagi slammed the door in his face. So the shoe thing did not work. Slamming her head against her door frame, Usagi sighed deeply. She had looked for hours and came up with a few ways to get rid of ghosts. Of course, Usagi, being Usagi, decided to go the easiest route possible first withthe shoes she planned to wear the next day.The Rules?_ Point the toes of the shoes in opposite directions. This will confuse the ghost and he or she will leave for a few days._

Not. Usagi woke up to a smirking Mamoru. He glanced at the shoes and up at her, then back down at the shoes.

"Trying to get rid of me?"

The blond looked away from Mamoru. "No," she stated, like a five year old denying she took a cookie out of the cookie jar, and crossed her arms.

"Well, in all honestly it did confuse me." He chuckled, "but I'm not going anywhere."

"**Fine**!" Usagi huffed, throwing herself out of bed and into her bathroom.

Now, she stared at herself in the mirror, watched as a red mark slowly appeared on her temple. Her eyes were puffy from days of crying and bruised from not truly resting as she slept. It had been over a week since she fainted at work. A few days after it had happened Usagi had cried herself dry. She thought she was rid of Mamoru for good, besides she had not seen him since she, _literally_, put a hand through him.

After a quick shower, Usagi reemerged from the bathroom with a towel covering her sensuous parts. Mamoru, she noted, was seated on her bed, waiting for her to come out. He watched as she gathered undergarments, a pair of capris and a tank top. All the while she glared at him, her anger fuming behind her eyes and not too far past that all her hurt. Mamoru tensed at the loud sound of the door slamming once again, or at least it seemed that was what he was doing. You do what you remember you should do without the actual feeling to do them. Confusing, yes, yet here Mamoru was stuck in between this world and the next.

"I'm going to the store!" Usagi announced, grabbed her keys and purse from the floor and left Mamoru contemplating alone.

She was trying to get away. Usagi did not understand why it had to be her. Of all the people in the world, why did she have to be the one who ended up with her dead boyfriend following her around like a puppy? Seriously, it was starting to get aggravating. And it hurt. Imagine waking up to someone who you loved so deeply standing at the foot of your bed, only to realize you could not touch him. Usagi ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. She pulled her car into a parking lot.

Inside the store, Usagi claimed a cart and started in the produce section. She grabbed a bulb of garlic and a bag of hazelnuts. Her head swimming with the ideas she found online. They all seemed a little bit absurd but at this point, ever since she found out the truth, she was desperate to get rid of Mamoru, even if that meant the rest of her life without him. It was one thing whenever she had even the slightest hope that maybe he would come back around, now, however, she knew she would never honestly be able to have him any more. With fury, Usagi went down the aisle throwing bags of peas and rice and a box of salt into her buggy.

"What kind of concoction are you making?" Mamoru asked with a rise of his eyebrow.

"None of your business," Usagi whispered back, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just, seeing what you're up to."

"Why don't you just go away?"

"Sorry, ma'am," an older man apologized and moved from her to the next aisle.

"Do you see the chaos you're causing?" Usagi barked.

"I can't leave you." He murmured, hands placed in his pockets.

Usagi's eyes narrowed. "You want to bet?"

* * *

Later that day, after Usagi pretended nothing was out of the ordinary had happened – just as she had been doing for the past, seemingly, millennium – she set to work on her projects. Like most of the week, whenever Usagi was out of the house, she attempted to avoid her friends in fear that they would find her crazy. In fact, as Usagi sat on her sofa stringing hazelnuts together for every doorway in the apartment, she decided herself that she wasn't far from insanity. She glanced up to find Mamoru walking into the living room, a fact that irked her a little bit more than it probably should. 

"You're a ghost," Usagi deadpanned. "Aren't you supposed to just appear out of nowhere?"

Mamoru shrugged, letting his hair fall in his face.

"What's the point of being a ghost if you can't disappear and reappear at will?"

He stared at her with not a flicker of emotion on his face.

"I mean, I know people say ghosts walk the earth," she continued, brushing a strand of hair from her face so she could concentrate on the hazelnut garland she was making. Her thoughts were jumping from one thing to another. "Why can't you just be like Casper and fly?"

"What's the point of this conversation," Mamoru asked coolly, trying to keep from glaring at the girl in front of him though his eyes were turning into slits of sapphire, "if you're so stuck on getting rid of me?"

Usagi's head shot up and a thought crossed her mind: _because it hurts worse having to see you every day when I can't have you_. That's what she wanted to say but whenever she opened her mouth all that came out was, "I was just curious." Her voice was weak and it didn't sound like her own. For a second, Usagi wondered if Mamoru could still feel but before she could make much of that thought, he started to speak again.

"All you'll end up making is a huge mess!" He exclaimed, "And the house is going to smell like garlic."

"I happen to like the smell of garlic!" Usagi triumphed, although it was a false statement.

They didn't say anything to each other after that for a while. Mamoru watched as Usagi attached string to single cloves of garlic after she had finished with the hazelnut garlands. Her fingernails were starting to turn yellow from the garlic skin but she continued to work. She then proceeded to hang one clove of garlic and one strand of hazelnuts by each door. This was when Mamoru spoke again.

"I thought it said you only needed one or the other."

Usagi glanced at Mamoru. "Well," she said simply, "you're stubborn."

"Well, I _hope_ you don't plan on throwing the rest of your groceries on the floor." He commented as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Why not?" Usagi all but pouted.

"Give me some credit!" Mamoru, frustrated, reached out to shake Usagi by the shoulders. With the momentum he made when he stepped closer, his arms ready to shake, Mamoru tripped himself whenever no contacts was made. Whenever he was upright again, he realized he was inside of her. He looked down to see his shoulders disappearing into the crown of her head. Science made no sense whatsoever, even if he had aced the class years ago.

Usagi stepped from him, her body shook and was covered in goose bumps. Without saying a word, she turned around to face him, however, he was not facing her. She wanted to see his reaction. Could he feel the slow death she did when she pulled herself away from him, even though he was already – technically – gone. Tears sprung in her eyes as she watched him bow his head, back still facing her.

"I am not dumb enough to get on my hands and knees to count that shit," he said somberly, continuing their argument. "You cannot get rid of me."

Usagi's word was barely a whisper, "Why?"

"Because," Mamoru stated, his voice serious, "I don't exist without you."

"I can't exist with you!" Usagi cried, then softer, her head turned to the side, "Not like this."

Mamoru turned to her, eyes full of emotion that she wasn't sure he even felt anymore. He reached out to brush strand of her hair out of her face like he used to do. Just like the first time that night when he tried to touch her, Mamoru failed to make contact.

"See," she pointed out, her voice cracking, "you can't even touch me anymore."

"But I love you."

It was a simple statement but it tore Usagi in two. Her heart broke for him once again.

"Like that ever answered anything," she whispered.


	9. The Truth

_At the moment I have one vote for Frome One Broken Heart to Another. That's it. lol. So right now, she's winning._

_VOTE FOR:  
1 - Melting _(0)  
_2 - From One Broken Heart to Another_ (1)  
_3 - You Don't See Me _(0)  
_4 - a new story _(0)

_Okay. If there's something you want me to put my main focus on after I finish this story let me know. As I said before, I'm leaving it up to my readers. Either vote as you review or go to my livejournal (found in my profile)._

_There are only going to be 13 chatpers instead of 15... I figured it up today after I rearranged my outline. Four chatpers to go. Are we that close to the end! Yes we are. I'm getting a little sad._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER NINE – The Truth**

For Mamoru, it was the moment she walked into the arcade that it all started. He could not seem to take his eyes off of her at any given moment. Motoki, however, did not seem to take notice. It didn't matter if he knew or not, all Mamoru wanted to do was watch her as she brought the dark liquid to her plump lips and took a sip. She felt his gaze, he was aware, as he was seemingly paying more attention to Motoki. Still, he was watching her out of his peripheral view as she took him in her eyes. Then, wanting to feel her gaze meet his own, Mamoru returned the look she was giving him.

_Yes, I noticed you _– the message his eyes were sending her. She was studying him hard, her gaze intense on his. The moment he realized her friends broke their eye contact, Mamoru felt an instant loss. Yet he noticed her attention had not been completely averted for every now and then she would glance back at him with a slight smile hinting her features. Eventually, as she continued to talk with her friends, Mamoru opened the book he brought with him, pretending to read. He glanced up for a moment to find her blushing because of something one of her friends had just said before they stood up and left.

The arcade became cooler. He shivered without her presence. Motoki came up beside him, mumbling under his breath as he fumbled with the register. Something about that crazy girl that would not be able to keep her head together if it wasn't attached. Mamoru raised an eyebrow whenever Motoki finally looked up from ringing up a ticket.

"What's up?" Mamoru asked, trying to hide a smile.

"This girl," Motoki started. "She comes in here almost every day, meets up with her friends and almost always leaves something behind. It's never any of the others' things; it's always _her_ scarf or _her_ whole freaking purse!"

Mamoru chuckled, "Is it really that annoying to you?"

Motoki shook her head. "It's kind of endearing actually."

"Then why complain?"

"She just needs to learn to be a little more responsible, that's all." The dark headed man watched his friend pull a mint green scarf out of his apron pocket. "Usually I get her things out to her on time, but today I missed them leave. Could you take this to her? It was the blond's that was sitting in the booth over there?"

Mamoru's ears perked up, he recognized that scarf. "Yeah," he replied without missing a beat.

He grabbed the scarf from Motoki's hand and was halfway out the door before a thought caught up to him. Mamoru whipped around and was about to ask Motoki where he'd find the girl when he saw the blond watching him curiously.

Shaking his head, Motoki said, "You're just like her sometimes. There's a deli around the corner from here. They usually eat there together."

"Okay."

Mamoru walked languidly down the sidewalk, a goofy grin was splayed across his face. He wasn't paying much attention and whenever something hit him he grabbed a hold of it to make sure, whatever it was, didn't send them both flying to the ground. Lo and behold, whenever he looked down to find what it was he caught; it was the one thing that had been on his mind since he laid eyes on it. A prize indeed.

"Hi," he managed.

"Hey," her response.

He held out her scarf towards her, "Motoki gave me a heads up on where you and your friends might be."

She slowly took the scarf from his hands, "Thanks."

This girl was making him nervous. He mussed his hair, messing the thick locks of ebony. "Look, I don't want to sound to forward or anything, but do you want to do something?"

"Now," she asked, her voice rising in question.

_Hell yes now_, he thought, instead said, "Or later?"

"Yeah, later!" She exclaimed before mumbling something about having to be at work. The blond raced off in the opposite direction and Mamoru watched her disappear from his view. It was then he wanted to kick himself in the head because he did not get any of the vital information from her he should have.

It was a week after they first met. He figured today would be as good as any to go to the arcade and talk to Motoki. Mamoru might even bump into the girl that plagued every thought. He walked into the arcade to find Motoki rustling about. The place was not busy, but the way Motoki was moving, a person might think a hundred people were crammed into the diner-slash-arcade.

"I'm out of milk for the ice-cream." Motoki stated. "I'll be back."

Mamoru raised his hand for a wave and chuckled. He took a seat in a booth near the window. A little after Motoki left the bells jingled and in walked the goddess of his mind. She didn't notice him; instead she walked straight to the counter, leaned over it and started yelling for Motoki whenever he didn't make an appearance.

"He stepped out," Mamoru stated, walked up behind her.

She whipped around. "Hi," she stated after she took in his appearance.

"Hi," he replied.

They went out then to a restaurant on The Strip. The two had coffee and desert and Mamoru could not get enough of her. Once again however, the blond, Usagi as he learned, had to go to work once again. Cutting the time he wanted to spend with her short. He knew that there would be plenty of other times that he would be able to see her, so he let her walk away.

That weekend, Mamoru and Usagi had their first authentic date. He picked her up at her house and after he was introduced to her friends, the same girls that were at the arcade when he first noticed Usagi, they left. He took her to the board walk, a place that was sure to have something to do and everything was in short proximity of each other. The best part of the place though, was the beach itself that the boardwalk was built on.

At first, the conversation stumbled across their age difference. Afterwards, it flowed smoothly. They ended up walking across the beach, meandering here and their, just wasting time together. He noted how short Usagi was once she took her heels off and rolled up her pants a little to make it easier to walk through the sand. She barely reached his shoulders. Then again, he was nearly 6'4.

He kissed her right before the fireworks, which made for a magical moment that he himself was not expecting. Mamoru thought that maybe, just maybe, they were meant to be together. He knew for sure a few weeks later whenever they made love and they fit together perfectly like puzzle pieces.

He awoke somewhere in the middle of the night and just watched her sleep. Mamoru remembered that he could spend the rest of his life with her. He could wake up to this everyday and it would never get old. He knew then he loved her more than any person he had ever loved before and would never love anyone more.

Those were his thoughts when the sun rose and he woke up still holding on tightly. Those were his thoughts whenever he picked the ring out. Those were his thoughts whenever a random guy held a gun to Mamoru's head and demanded anything of value to him.

Mamoru fingered the diamond ring in his pocket, "No."

That was his last word. Enraged the man yelled as he fired the gun, Mamoru falling to a heap on the ground. The stranger even though he cleaned Mamoru's pockets out and took all the money, never found the ring.

Mamoru's last thought: _It's for her._


	10. Limbo

_Bad News... Once again I'm fighting with how long this is going to be. It will not be any shorter than 12 chapters but I'm not sure if I want to stretch it out to 13. I may. _

_Good News... OH I CAN'T TELL YOU! If I tell you the good news I could ruin the story. Oh the apprehension! sigh, I'll just have to tell you the good news during the last chapter. Instead of before, I'll have to tell you at the end. Because, again, I'd ruin the story if I told you at the beginning of the last chapter. Oh, okay, I'm stopping now before I have six pages of author's notes._

_There are a lot of breaks in this chapter. A lot of scene changes. A lot happens. There are hints as to what will happen in the upcoming chapters. My attempt at foreshadowing. See if you can't pick them up._

_As for the voting:_

1_- Melting _(3)  
2_ - From One Heart to Another _(2)  
3 - _You Don't See Me _(0)  
4 - _something new_ (0)

_Keep voting. Keep reviewing. Above all: KEEP READING. _

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER TEN – Limbo**

The great fire licked at her skin. It's heat radiated around her as she prayed. Sweat dripped down the small of her back, with it taking her impurities. The raven's eyes popped open – violet, the perfect contrast behind the yellow flames.

Rei spent every morning praying to the gods. Today she prayed for Usagi's soul that was tormented so deeply by something that Rei could not figure out. She prayed for Usagi's release. She prayed for Usagi's health. She prayed for Usagi's heart. Although she had not seen her friend in four days, Rei knew the girl was stumbling through the days. Even before Usagi took the initiative to pull a disappearing act, Rei knew there was something going on more than just Mamoru's lack of calls. Who knew what she was going through now that she knew he was dead? Usagi had already blocked everyone out of her life and she was completely unaware of it.

After Motoki had told Usagi about Mamoru, he immediately knew he shattered her heart. When Rei came in later that day for a burger, Motoki spilled all the information to her. He apologized over and over, saying he did not know about the two – Usagi and Mamoru. That if he did, he would not have opened his big mouth and, if he knew, he would not have broken Usagi.

Rei had been praying for days. All she needed was for Usagi to come around and she would do anything she could to help.

The fire lapped at her body, drinking her energy. When the phone rang, it took Rei a few rings before she tore herself from thought, prayer and the fire. The golden flames reached for her as she stood to answer the phone. When she answered, she heard the ragged breath of her friend, as if the girl had been crying for hours – or days. Rei did not ask Usagi anything; she just waited for her friend to regain herself. She knew Usagi had her own inner strength; she just had to find it, if Rei were to poke and prod for it her blond friend just might hide herself away deeper in the hole she's crawled into.

Usagi sniffled into the phone and, with her voice breaking as if she hadn't used it weeks, said, "I need help."

* * *

At first Rei did not know whether or not to call the rest of the girls or not. After talking with Usagi once she had arrived at the Hikawa Shrine, she decided that it would be best to keep it between the two of them. Of course, after this was all over with, the girls would know about it. Now, with Usagi hanging on by a thread, Rei needed to help her with this alone. The girls could be there for the moral support, Rei would get rid of the demons. Well, one demon. 

Rei had Usagi kneel with her by the fire and she prayed with her to have her soul released from the spirit's hold – Mamoru's hold. Then Rei gave Usagi o-fuda for her to protect herself from those of the other world. Even if Mamoru was no harm, it would keep him away. She laughed at Usagi's foolish attempt with the hazelnuts and garlic, and then proceeded to tell her that Usagi should have come to her first. Rei promised that any time Usagi needed her help, no matter how crazy she felt or seemed - Rei would be there.

Over warm tea and very little smiles, Usagi swore the next time she had a ghost of a boyfriend appear she would be running up the shrine's stairs yelling for Rei. This said in all seriousness. Eventually, Usagi stood to leave, tugging Rei into a hug and thanking her. This had to work, nothing else had.

* * *

As Usagi walked home, she felt his presence return. The entire time she had been at Rei's it was as if Mamoru was non-existent. Usagi wondered where he had run off to a moment or two, but now that he was here again, she tensed. Her shoulders shifted, her back straightened, her mind on his aura. She thought of the o-fuda in her hands, hidden by the cloth it was wrapped in and could not help but wonder if it were possible the paper with written scripture could really work. 

"Mamo-" Usagi started. She was cut off by the wind that shoved by. Dirt and forgotten leaves flew around her. Mamoru was not there.

At home, Usagi took down her earlier wards for spirits and threw them away. The o-fuda lay on her coffee table. The girl cleaned her entire house from top to bottom. The hours passed by late into the night as Usagi cleaned up her mess from the past few days. She scrubbed the counters, mopped the floors, vacuumed.

The o-fuda still lay untouched in the center of her living room. Mamoru still was not there and yet she could still feel him. So this is what it is like whenever a person loses someone they love and can swear they are still with them. Usagi had no doubt about it in her mind Mamoru was here with her, he just wasn't being the stalker-like apparition he was earlier.

In her room, Usagi fell onto her bed and passed out well into the night.

* * *

Mamoru watched as Usagi slept. Everything about him hurt. He felt himself becoming lost into a darkened world he was unsure of. He did not want to leave the girl who was curled beneath her blankets, hands tucked into herself. She was a girl who stole his heart and whenever she was forcing him to take it back he didn't want it anymore. Everything he wanted for them was no more. There was not a chance in this lifetime for them to be together. If he had tears, Mamoru would cry for the both of them, he would take all of her pain and carry it with him for the rest of eternity if that was how long he would be in this limbo.

* * *

The next morning Usagi woke when the sun had already warmed the day thoroughly. She went through the motions of any normal morning: shower, dress, eat. Life had changed so much for her, Usagi felt that she was watching a movie of her life and this was just a memory. She fell apart from this life. Disconnected and not feeling. The light in her eyes was gone. The hope she had felt forever was gone. 

_Where the hell was Mamoru?_

Was the decision she made the right one? Usagi stirred her soggy cereal, thoughts of Mamoru plaguing her mind. It was so quiet without him. Dumping her breakfast in the trash, Usagi wished she had never met the dark headed man that turned out to, quite possibly, be the love of her life. She knew how to get by without him before she ever met him. Now, as the last bit of milk hit the plastic bag, she did not even know how to be her.

* * *

She stared out the window of the Crown Arcade. Her friends were trying extra hard to cheer her up and it was not going unnoticed by the blonde. The fake grins were too much to look at, so instead, Usagi watched the world pass her by. Her heart stopped at every head of black hair, twisting itself in knots. The pain of a lost love was killing her. 

In a short space of time – to what seemed longer to Usagi – her friends decided to go shopping. When they asked Usagi if she wanted to go, the blond shook her head.

"You guys go ahead." She said, "I just want some time alone."

Her friends hesitated. They watched as their friend drew more and more into herself. They watched as their friend changed into a person they did not recognize and weren't sure they would ever know. With a few miniscule smiles and a wave good-bye or two, the group slowly left the girl sitting at the table. All five hearts breaking a little bit more.

Usagi sighed when the door closed behind her friends. Her head overwhelmed, still, with everything that had happened in the past few months. It was a huge step she took to come out with her friends and try to make things seem like nothing had ever happened. The only thing keeping her past from haunting her was the o-fuda she had tucked into her purse. Or at least that's what she thought.

Motoki walked up to her minutes after her friends were gone. His face held an unsure expression if what he was going to say would be the right thing or not. To give himself some time, Motoki sat in front of Usagi. She looked at him, his eyes held a sadness that Usagi had never noticed before. That was when she remembered that Motoki also lost someone he loved. He lost a person that had been his best friend since grade school. Usagi bowed her head, breaking eye contact, and sat further back in her seat.

"When Mamoru was found there was nothing on him," Motoki started, "that's how they figured he was mugged. Whenever they took him to the hospital for an autopsy, they found something deep in his pockets."

Usagi's eyes traveled back up to Motoki. Her eyes held the question, she did not have to ask. _What?_

Motoki reached into his own pocket, bring his hand back over the table in a fist hiding whatever it was. "I believe this is supposed to be yours."

Painfully slow, Usagi reached out her hand, palm up. She rested the back of her hand on the table underneath Motoki's hovering fist. Her eyes widened as his fingers uncurled themselves, the object slipping out of his hand and into hers. The white-gold gleamed in the light of the café, the diamond winked.


	11. Tidal Waves

_I couldn't wait. Author's Notes at the end._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER ELEVEN – Tidal Waves**

A tidal wave of sadness swept over her. It was about that moment whenever the metal hit her skin and slid to the cup of her palm, Usagi realized Mamoru was completely robbed of a future. There were so many things he would never be able to do. He would never have a family of his own. He would never be able to have kids and watch them grow. He would never be able to celebrate holidays ever again. He would never have the chance to ask her to marry him.

Usagi flipped the ring over in her palm, memorizing its weight. Surprisingly, tears refused to come even if her heart was an anvil that was pressing her down into her seat at the arcade. Motoki stood from his seat and left her with nothing but her thoughts. With her eyes, Usagi followed him and without saying the words because she could not find her voice, thanked Motoki's retreating form.

She slid out of the booth, out of the arcade and disappeared into the crowd of the streets.

* * *

Time passed quicker than Usagi thought it would. The feel of Mamoru's presence never left her but after visiting Rei that day at the temple, Usagi never saw him again. She wished that she could see him just once: she wanted to talk to him again. She wanted to hear him tell her he loved her again, so this time she could say it back. He never knew her feelings – at least, she never told him. 

Nevertheless, time does not stand still for a person holding on to a wish. Life continues and Usagi found the flow she fit in the most. She finished college and worked at an advertising agency close to her newer apartment on the richer side of Juuban. Sometimes, she would wonder if this was Mamoru's old place. How funny it would be if the wonder was true. Then she realized she had never seen Mamoru's home. She realized how much she did not know about the person she fell in love with so quickly. And the cycle started all over again.

Depression may have come easy to the girl but she got by the best she knew how. She had even tried dating earlier that year – the third year after Mamoru's death. In the end, Usagi went home alone, telling the guy she could not do it. Mamoru still had her heart and she hoped she still had his. Feeling the cool of air against the nape of her neck, Usagi closed her eyes. Her hand found the necklace that held the ring Mamoru bought for her and knew he was still with her.

* * *

It was something Ami started nearly a year ago. Every so often she would stop by and ask for things her friends did not use anymore for goodwill. She and her friends had plenty of things, more than they needed and could easily donate a few articles of clothing and then some for people who would appreciate the gesture. This is what led Usagi to start rummaging through her old items. She ended up with a few t-shirts, jeans that were too small and shoes. In the farthest part of her closet, Usagi noticed a box she had never opened whenever she moved in. 

Pulling it out from the black hole, Usagi opened the cardboard box. Inside there was more junk: some movies, a nail polish and an old purse. Curious, Usagi unzipped the purse to reveal lipstick, a couple dollars and tucked away in a hidden zipper, the o-fuda she used to help get rid of Mamoru.

Sorrow washed over her as the memory came back - how desperate she was to get rid of him and a couple days later how desperate she was to get him back. Of course, through it all, she had completely forgotten about the o-fuda. Meeting with Rei she remembered, praying she remembered. The scripture paper she had forgotten about completely.

An anger she kept inside of her welled up in the pit of her stomach: sickening and unbearable. Usagi tore the o-fuda into the smallest of pieces and threw it out her window. She watched as the pieces fell like snow down from her second story perch and hit the ground, the wind sweeping them away from her life.

* * *

On her way back from Ami's, as she switched lanes, Usagi got the surprise of her life. In the corner of her eye, she saw Mamoru. He was in her passenger seat, as if he had been there the entire time. She watched his profile as he stared straight ahead. Tearing her eyes away from him, Usagi watched the road. 

"How long have you been here?" Usagi asked.

Mamoru turned to her, without opening his mouth. She could see out of her peripheral view that he was watching her, expression blank as if she was not even talking to him. He never answered. She glanced over at him and found sadness in his eyes that she had never seen before and she wondered if his eyes just mirrored her own.

"Mamoru?"

His eyebrows shot up.

"Can you hear me?" Usagi asked as she looked at him once more.

"Yeah," he answered, his voice filled with wonderment.

"How long have you been here?"

"I never left."

Tears sprung in Usagi's eyes. The last time she cried for Mamoru was on the anniversary of the day they met. Now, she let the tears flow freely once again. Her tears never ran out for the man she loved more than anything. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

It was hard to drive and look at Mamoru at the same time. "For trying my damnedest to get you out of my life." When Mamoru never answered she continued, "You clearly never wanted to leave me."

"You made your choice," he said simply.

Usagi took her necklace out from beneath her shirt and showed the ring to him. "Were you going to ask me to marry you?"

Mamoru turned to look at the road that was turning slick with the rain that started to fall. "I planned on it." He said and looked back at her. The girl was not watching the road at all.

She tucked her head so that she could look at the ring herself before she looked back at Mamoru, "I would have said yes."

"I know." Mamoru turned straight ahead, the road becoming curvy. "Watch the road, Usagi."

The words stung her. "Why are you being so cordial?"

"You made your decision long ago."

"Then why are you still here?" she asked, her eyes still focused intently on Mamoru.

"I made my decision, too."

"Mamoru, you're so frustrating." Usagi hit the steering wheel. The car swerved and it took Usagi a moment before she could regain control. "I love you."

"I know," Mamoru stated. "Like you said, it never really accounts for anything."

"Do you hate me now?"

"Usagi watch the fucking road!"

Instead she was shocked at his choice of words. Never before had she heard him use such a foul word. By the time her eyes traveled to the road it was too late and her car plummeted into oncoming traffic.

Red. Black. Blinding white. Nothing.

* * *

It was slow motion for Mamoru. The lights from the other vehicle disappeared into the front end of Usagi's vehicle. The cars shoved together, bended metal, breaking glass and then spinning away from the other car. Her body flung around with each movement of her car, a helpless sound escaped her lips from pain. He watched as her head hit the side window, then the steering wheel. The airbag never inflated. Blood trickled down her face, through her hair, staining it red. 

Mamoru's world turned upside down. He waited. She would appear, just like he did. She would come back to him. That's what he kept telling himself. His body twisted itself up in knots. _Where was she? What was taking so long?_

The ambulance arrived, checking both her vitals and the people of the other car. Mamoru stood on the sidelines, waiting for his love. A small flicker of hope lighted in his eyes, maybe she was still alive. His thought was answered when one of the paramedics covered her body with a white sheet.

Mamoru bowed his head. _Where was she? What was taking so long?_

He waited until ambulance left, until the road was cleared. He waited. Eventually, there was nothing for him either. Still, he waited.

Finally the dark of the other-world took him over and he followed the path presented. Why stay in a world where he would be reminded everyday of a love he never truly had? Without Usagi he was more than dead. He amounted to nothing.

* * *

_One more chapter left. I KNOW I said 13, but I felt likeI was dragging it out. Now I feel like I'msquishing it together. Oh well. _

_**How can there be a happy ending now?** JUST WAIT AND SEE. I promoise it's a good ending. At least I hope it's a good ending. Satisfying in all your needs. If not, you can holdmynotebook ransomand demand a sequel. Oh dear, I've said too much. I'm not quite sure how you'd get a sequel if you stole my computer either._

1 - _Melting _(6)  
2 - _From One Broken Heart to Another _(3)  
3 - _You Don't See Me_ (0)  
4 - _something new _(0)

_As for the voting process, it looks like number 1 is going to win. BUT I guess we still have this chapter to go. This is the last time you can vote. Make sure you vote for the one you want. ;-)_

_As always, thank you so much for reading!_


	12. Fate Gives Second Chances

_I had to get this out sooooon. Everyone was badgering me for killing off Usagi too. Oh well. If I didn't kill her you wouldn't get this chapter and the **END** of Soulmates._

SOULMATES

**CHAPTER TWELVE – Fate Gives Second Chances**

She woke from a nightmare. Long blond hair sticking to her slick skin weighed her down. Her breath was shallow, her heartbeat pounded through her ears. In her dream, she had died a death that always haunted her. The young girl looked at her alarm clock: 7:15AM. _Good_, she thought, _I can close my eyes for another fifteen minutes_.

When she opened her eyes again, it was 7:58 which gave her exactly 17 minutes to get ready, walk – in her case run – five blocks to be at school and in her desk by 8:15. She slipped into her uniform skirt, oxford shirt and tie and crammed her feet into her shoes before she ran down the stairs. In the kitchen she grabbed a cereal bar and kissed her mother good-bye for the day before she opened the front door and the streets swallowed her.

The blond was in her seat at 8:14 with one second to spare and all she could think about as she tried to catch her breath was the man she ran into on the sidewalk.

* * *

He sat at the bar in the local diner. It was known as the Crown Arcade, however, he soon learned after his first couple visits, that the arcade part of the diner had long been renovated into more booths and tables. There were very few games left backed all the way into the furthest corner. He smoothed his ebony hair as he waited to be served.

It was late afternoon, school had just let out, he realized as students started to file into the door. One girl caught his eye in particular, even though she was in the Juuban school district uniform – definitely jailbait. Her hair hung in heavy waves down her back, a gold waterfall. She was with a group of girls, each completely different looking types of people, all very pretty. Still, she stood out, she was definitely the girl he ran into earlier today.

"She's a pretty one isn't she?" asked the waiter behind the counter.

The ebony headed man shook his head, clearing his thoughts, "Yeah."

"Let me guess," the apron wearing male stated. "Coffee, black."

"Works for me."

* * *

They chatted animatedly like they had not seen each other all day, which was not a true statement at all. Technically they were together all day long in class but the only time they were aloud to have general conversation was at lunch. Everyone knew it was not enough time to get all the information they needed and the new scoop of who was dating who.

"Not to freak you out or anything," the blue headed girl of the group mentioned, "but that guy over there is staring at you."

The blond turned to look behind her but was quickly jerked closer the friend of hers that spoke.

"**Don't look**!" she said a little loudly, turning red.

"He'll know we're talking about him if you just do that!" another of the five spoke up, violet eyes gleaming.

The blond shrunk in her chair. "Okay, I got an idea."

Without giving her friends a second to deny her actions, the young girl walked herself up to the bar. She settled herself into a stool a couple seats away from the man. She leaned over the counter, her hair spilling around her. After she ordered a chocolate milkshake, she turned to the man beside her.

"So," she started, hands folded on the countertop. "Are you like a stalker or something?"

The man looked away from her, shook his head. Funny, this morning he was quick with the come-backs.

"No?" she giggled, her voice flirtatious. "Oh, well, then maybe I shouldn't be concerned. Or call the cops?"

Again, he shook his head.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"No," he retorted, voice cracked.

"Oh!" she laughed. "Sorry, I didn't know you were going through puberty. I thought guys only did that when they were fourteen."

His blue eyes grew dark, closing in on this girl. "That's not funny." His voice was deep.

She sighed, "I guess you're right."

When her milkshake was placed in front of her, the blond focused her attention towards it. She let the frozen chocolate roll over her tongue as it melted. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the stranger watching her. Swallowing the chocolate she straightened back up and pushed the cup to him, "Want some?"

He looked at the milkshake and down at his plain coffee. He was about to say no when she started speaking again.

"Come on," she whined. "It has got to be better than that bitter crap."

"It's coffee." To prove his point, he brought the cup to his lips and took a sip.

"Whatever," the blond said. "Same difference." She smiled. "Well, hopefully, tomorrow I don't run into you, Mr.-"

"Shields," he filled in her small gap of silence. "Darien."

"Ah, Mr. Shields." Another genuine smile from the pretty blond. "Then again, maybe I do wish to bump into you again."

"We'll see."

She glanced at him, wondering why the hell he was being so damn succinct. Did he just have no more personality left in him? "Well, the milkshake is yours, seems you need a perk."

"I can get that from my coffee." He nodded, "Thank you."

"By the way," the blond stated, looking at him with bright blue eyes. "It's Serena, if you were wondering."

She bounced to her friends waiting for her, a grin plastered on her face. Darien shook his head and waited for them to leave the diner before he sampled her shake.

* * *

That night in separate beds and in two different parts of town, two people thought of each other and a life they could have together and if it were even possible. Serena felt as if she had come on to strong to the older male and that he may just think of her as nothing more of a child. Darien felt that he had been too hard on her and should have loosened up a little more because the only thing the younger girl probably thought of him was how much of an ass he could be.

However, they thought just the opposite of each other as their eyes drifted close and sent their minds to the dream world.

* * *

_Okay. Melting wins, hands down. It'll be my next victim. _

_Tell me this ended in no way what any of you expected. **Just Like Heaven** this is not. And PLEASE tell me you are satisfied with this. _

_Up for a sequel or should I just let this rest in peace? Okay, okay, uncalled for pun, I GET IT. lol.I couldn't help it!_

_Thanks for everyone who stuck around from beginning to end. Thank you, thank you!_


End file.
